Running head: SECOND LIFE

COURSE OUTLINE

Instructor: Samuel Pabón Jr.

Contact Hours: By appointment (evening appointments via Second Life)

SLURL: http://snipr.com/27nsii

Website: http://www.somconline.com/LMS/course/view.php?id=696

Email:

Voice Mail / Fax:

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This one month course will utilize the 3D Virtual World, Second Life, to continue building upon
students’ prior knowledge of ancient civilizations which should have been studied during the
sixth-grade. Starting with the first chapter, the flow of European history continues, almost
uninterrupted, from the Dark Ages. During the first week, students begin to study how manor
life progressed into town life as trade increased as a result of the Crusades. Students will pay
special attention to the Gothic cathedral which became a symbol of the town’s spirit. Chapter
Two will reveal to students how the rediscovery of Greek and Latin manuscripts lead to the
revival of classical learning in Europe and the Renaissance. This month long journey will
culminate with Chapter Three where students will study and learn about the causes, the course,
and the consequences of the Reformation.

Content Area: World Studies

Content Topics:
The Revival of Towns (Chapter One)
The Renaissance (Chapter Two)
The Reformation (Chapter Three)
Grade Level: 7th Grade
Text:

World Studies Student Text

(2nd ed.)

by
Terri Koontz, B.S.
Mark Sidwell, Ph.D.
S. M. Bunker, M.A.

ISBN: 978-1-59166-431-4
Publisher: BJU Press
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INTENDED LEARNERS
This course has been developed as a supplemental tool to be used, primarily, by home-schooled
students and their parents. However, the course is flexible and robust enough to be implemented
in a traditional classroom as part of a hybrid program of instruction.

EXPECTATIONS
The goal of this course is to provide the necessary background, activities, and evaluation in a
time frame that allows for coverage of the stated topics. Additionally, this course is not to be
misconstrued as a complete and final authority. This course provides only supplemental
coverage of suggested sources, methods, background information, and review techniques. It is
the homeschool parent educators and/or classroom teachers’ responsibility to select and develop
those items that best meet the needs of the students.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
• Access to a computer (desktop/laptop) with broadband internet access (Cable/DSL)
and an installation of Second Life
• An email account
• A Javascript enabled browser (session cookies must be allowed)
• Headset (a microphone is optional, but highly recommended)
• Adobe Acrobat Reader
• Microsoft Office or OpenOffice applications
• Recommended computer processor should be 1.5 GHz or better
• Recommended computer RAM should be 1GB or better

LEARNING OUTCOMES/OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Navigate in Second Life to sims which feature medieval themed islands (towns),
renaissance themed islands (towns), and models of Gothic and Romanesque inspired
architecture.
2. Summarize the four stages of town development.
3. Explain the three steps to becoming a guild member.
4. Distinguish between Gothic and Romanesque architecture, and critique an
implementation within Second Life.
5. Discuss how the rediscovery of classical learning helped to bring about the Renaissance.
6. Compare and contrast the medieval man and the Renaissance man.
7. Identify three elements of Renaissance art as represented in Vassar College’s rendition of
the Sistine Chapel within Second Life.
8. Summarize the events that led to Martin Luther posting his Ninety-five Theses.
9. Analyze the effects of the emphasis on learning, the development of the printing press,
and the use of vernacular languages on the spread of the Christian bible.
10. Name at least two scientific advances made during the Reformation era.
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ASSIGNMENTS / ACTIVITIES
Week One
• Reading: Text pages: 2-21
• Second Life Intro Video: http://youtu.be/m2FWIHYQmsU
• Assignment 1: In Second Life, teleport to: Tayren’s Fantasy Fashions, Southern
Harbor (61, 125, 21). Obtain and wear one of the free Medieval Avatars. Write
an essay about the fictional history of the founding of a medieval town, embed a
picture of your Medieval Avatar in the document and upload to Moodle by
Sunday night. Assignment details provided within Second Life notecard and
Moodle.
• Assignment 1 Video: http://youtu.be/RkiUnH1RoW0
• Forum Post 1: In Second Life, teleport to: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/
Paris%20Eiffel/17/196/117 . Write a Haiku about one of the historical images
located on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower. Post the contents to the Moodle
Forum by Friday night. Forum post details provided within Second Life notecard
and Moodle.
• Provide feedback to, at least, two other classmates on the Moodle Forum
by Sunday night.
• Forum Post 1 Video: http://youtu.be/--BpBvQJkd0
• Quiz: Based on Chapter One Review questions.
• In-World Chats: (Tuesday at 12pm | Thursday at 6pm). Attendance is mandatory
to at least one Second Life Live Chat session. The first chat will let students
know that they should watch 10-15 minutes of the Video: Cathedral each day
prior to beginning their course work, and that they may utilize the information
available in the Castle Pabon bookcase for their Assignment 1.

Week Two
• Reading: Text pages: 22-39
• Assignment 2: In Second Life, create a “People of the Renaissance Notecard”,
and deliver to Castle Pabon by Sunday night.
• Forum Post 2: Write a sonnet about a topic of your choosing. Deliver a notecard
to Castle Pabon, and Post the contents to the Moodle Forum by Friday night.
• Provide feedback to, at least, two other classmates on the Moodle Forum by
Sunday night.
• In-World Chats: (Tuesday at 12pm | Thursday at 6pm). Attendance is mandatory
to at least one Second Life Live Chat session.

Week Three
• Reading: Text pages: 40-57
• Assignment 3: Write an essay providing a short description of the Reformation;
list the events and/or circumstances that brought about the Reformation in Europe
and upload by Sunday night.
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• Forum Post 3: Pretend you lived in Wittenberg when Martin Luther was alive,
and write a descriptive paragraph detailing your reaction to Luther posting his
theses. Post by Friday night.
• Respond to, at least, two other posts from your classmates by Sunday night.
• Quiz: Based on Chapter Two Review questions.
• Live Chats: (Tuesday at 12pm | Thursday at 6pm). Attendance is mandatory to at
least one Live Chat session.

Week Four
• Reading: Text pages: 58-71
• Assignment 4: Write a biographical essay about Johann Sebastian Bach and
upload by Sunday night.
• Forum Post 4: In Second Life, identify three elements of Renaissance art as
represented in Vassar College’s rendition of the Sistine Chapel within Second Life
by teleporting to: Vassar Island, Vassar (112, 113, 27) - General. Deliver a
notecard to Castle Pabon, and Post the contents to the Moodle Forum by Friday
night.
• Respond to, at least, two other posts from your classmates by Sunday night.
• Final Exam: Cumulative.
• Live Chats: (Tuesday at 12pm | Thursday at 6pm). Attendance is mandatory to at
least one Live Chat session.

ASSESSMENTS
Students’ performance will be evaluated via assignments, discussion forums, quizzes, and a final
exam. Feedback will be provided via discussion forums, live chat, and/or email.
FEEDBACK AND GRADES
I am here to help make World Studies interesting and enjoyable. If you have any questions and/
or challenges that cannot wait until the scheduled live chat session, please email me at:
pabon.s@gmail.com Grades and feedback will, usually, be posted to your grade-book within 72
hours. Students should utilize the feedback they receive as a tool to improve from assignment-
to-assignment.

ASSESSMENT METRICS
Grading Breakdown
Assignment Points Total

Assignments x 4 10 40

Forum Posts x 4 5 20

Quizzes x 2 10 20

Final Exam 15 15
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Participation and Proper Student Etiquette 5 5

Total 100

Course Grades and Definitions

A 96 - 100 C 74 - 76

A- 90 - 95 C- 70 - 73

B+ 87 - 89 D+ 67 - 69

B 84 - 86 D 64 - 66

B- 80 - 83 D- 60 - 63

C+ 77 - 79 F Below 60

A Outstanding Achievement / Significantly exceeds standards

B Commendable Achievement that exceeds standards

C Acceptable Achievement that meets standards

D Marginal Achievement that is below standards

F Failing

RULES
Assignment Deadlines
This is a compressed one-month course. Taking this into consideration, if students maintain the
weekly schedule of assignments, they should be able to complete all assignments within in the
timeframe allotted.

Late work is always a grading challenge. Students will receive a 5% reduction per day late, and
only with prior written agreement from the instructor. Please notify your instructor promptly if
any special circumstances may cause you to turn in an assignment late.

Citing Sources
Sources quoted or paraphrased in student assignments/forum posts should be properly cited/
referenced according to APA style. You may reference APA format at:
• http://www.apastyle.org
• http://flash1r.apa.org/apastyle/basics/index.htm
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Safeguarding Your Work

Students are responsible for backing-up all of their work and solving their own technical
challenges. Consider using an external device and/or printing out a hard copy of critical
material.

Academic Honesty
Plagiarism occurs when a student attempts to pass of the work(s) of another person as his/her
own without properly citing/referencing the work. Plagiarism is an extremely serious situation
that may lead to receiving an F for an assignment, failing the class, and/or administrative
discipline depending on the seriousness of the situation.